Bumper for automobiles



May 25 1926.

E. A. LYNCH BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 6, 1925 R. m rVL m ATTORNEY.

May 25 192@n E. A. LYNCH BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5 1925 Kx ...www Y E Il.' I

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A ATTORNEY.

Ubti'lthr FYES ATENE FFQE.

EDWARD A. LYNCH, OF PENFIELD, EENNSYLVANIA.

BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed October 6, 1925. SeriaI No. 60,710.

My invention relates to bumpers for auto- Fig. t is a transverse sectional view showmobiles or other vehicles which require the ing in detail the means yfor fastening toprotection afforded by suoli structures. gether certain of the elements ot the bumper The general obgect of the invention is to construction;

provide a bumper oi .novel construction eni- Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken G0 bodying both simplicity and Oreat eiiiciency on the line 5--5 ot Fig. 2; in theprotection oi" automobiles or other ve- Fig. 6 a view similar to that ot Fig. 1, hiclesin case there should be collision. but 'showing a modified construction;

It is also an obJect ot the invention to Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional'view taken lo provide a novel construction o't bumper deon the line 7 7 of Fig. 6; 65

vice comprising resilient flexible means and Fig. S is a transverse sectional view taken articulated non-resilient means combined in on the line 8-8 ot Fig. 7 and a novel manner to provide an eiiicient Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken bumper device for automobiles or other veon the line 9-9 et Fig. 7. hicles. ln the drawings the front end portions of 70 Another object of the invention is to prothe chassis o an automobile or similar vevide a bumper for automobiles or other vehicle structure are shown at 1. It will be hicles comprising laterally disposed spring understood that the bumper may be mounted supporting members and a crosswise reupon the rear end portion of the automobil silient spring member having slidable eonor other vehicle structure for the purpose of 7 nection at its opposite ends with the latera protecting such rear end portion against inly disposed spring members and also having jury from other automobiles or other strucarticulated means connected and combined tures which might strike the saine from the therewith in a novel manner to cooperate rear. therewith and increase the protective et- Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5 ot the draw- 80 ciency of the bumper. ings, it will be noted that laterally curved To these and other ends my invention resilient spring plate members 2 are mountcompreliends the construction and arrangeed upon the end portions 1 of thechassis. ment of parts as hereinafter described in the The said spring plate members 2 flare or specification and particularly pointed out curve outwardly and terminate at their outer S5 and deiined in the claims, and also as illusends in bent portions forming eyes, as inditrated in the accompanT ing drawings in cated at 3. Mounted within and supported which I have shown certain convenient by these eyes are shackle bolts t upon the forms of mechanical embodiment of the inupper and lower ends ot which shackle vention. sleeves 5 are mounted. These sleeves are 90 It is to be understood that the invention provided respectively with hooks G which enis susceptible of embodiment in other forms gage the outer links ot sections ot chain 7. of construct-ion than those shown and thatV rihe inner links of said sections are each prochanges in the details ot construction may vided with eye-bolts 8, which bolts are screw- 40 be made within the scope oi the claims withthreaded, as shown, to engage the screw- 95 out departing from the invention. threaded opposite end port-ions ot turn- In the drawings: buckles 10. These turnbuckles are ot usual Fig. 1 is a top plan view ot the end porconstruction, except that theopposite side tions of the chassis of a vehicle such as an portions `thereof are connected at their mi automobile having mounted thereon a dles by means of webs 11 which are provided 100 bumper embodying my invention, the saidy with openings through which bolts 1.2 eX- bumper being shown partly in top plan and tend. These bolts are employed for the purpartly in horizontal sectional view; pose ot fastening the upper and lower ends Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation ot the ot a supporting and tying member or block bumper device with a portion of a central 15 to the said tiirnbuckle. The said block 105 supporting member broken away and oneV is provided with openings, as shown, of the fastening devices being shown in sec-l through which the bolts 12 extend. rlhe tion* y said bolts having been insert-ed through the i ig. f3 is a horizontal sectional view openings in the upper and lower ends woi the an anni ezt a; tenet; and .the openings the ne iti webs 11 ot the turnbucliles 10 are secured in place b y means of nuts 16.

Before securing the member 15 to the turnbuclles the latter may be turned to adjust the combined length ot the sections 7 of chain secured together thereby, for the purpose ot varying the tightness or tautness of the said chains due to their pull upon the hoolrs 6.

rlhe supporting and tying block is provided with an opening at its center for the reception of a bolt 2O by means ot which the central portion of a reversely curved more or less sinuous resilient spring plate 21 is secured to the said block or tying member. lt will be noted that 'the middle portion ot' the resilientspring plate 21 .is curved forwardly or outwardly, while the portions thereof near its opposite ends are curved or bent inwardly and that the outer end portions thereof extend outwardly and are seated or lie against the inner sides of the supporting resilient spring plates 2, as indicated at 22. rl`he outer end portions ot the plate 21 which rest or lie against the spring supporting` plates 2 are provided with elongated longitudinally extending slots 25 which register with holes 2G in the oppositely disposed resilient spring plates 2.

For the purpose of slidably connecting the opposite outer end portions of the plate 21 with the supporting resilient spring plates 2 a short plate 27 is bent at its opposite ends to provide short portions 28 which are adapted to extend over the opposite edges ot the plates 21 and 22. Cooperating with the said plate 27 is a plate 29 which is located upon the outer sides of the plates 22 opposite the plate 27. rlhe plates 2T and 29 are provided with holes which are in registry with the holes 26 through the supporting plates 2. Bolts 30 extend through the said holes and through the. slots 25 and are retained in position by nuts 31. By reason ot the presence of the slots 25 in the outer end portions ot the plate 21 it will be apparent that the outer end portions ot the latter may slide upon the bolts 30 with respect to the plates 2.

ie'terring now to Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, it will be noted that a resilient spring plate 85, the opposite ends of which extend laterally and outwardly, as indicated at 2a, takes the place of the laterally disposed supporting plates 2. The plate is supported in sockets 36 formed in the outer end portions ot brackets 37. The said plate is secured to the said brackets by means ot bolts 38 held in place b v nuts 39. The brackets comprise plate members bent, as best shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. One end portion of each ot the plates forming the brackets 37 is adapted to lie upon .the upperedge of one side of a chassis trame, as indicated at 40. The upper sides of said portions are provided with notches 40, as shown. The said end portions arc adapted to be secured in such position by means ot devis-like menibers 41 which are adapted to engage the said end portion and the sides ot the chassis. as illustrated. Cross-bars ot said men'ibers 41 engage the said notches 40a. lThe ends of the opposite sides of each of the clevislike members i1 extend through a bar or plate 4:2 against which securing nuts are seated tor the purpose of binding and hold-- ing the clevis-lilte member 41 against the end portion 410 of the bracket. rl`he opposite end portion ot each ot the brackets 3T is given a` halt' twist so that it is adapted to pass down along the outer side of a chassis. as shown at 45. The said last mentioned end portion ot each ot the brackets is adapted to be secured to the adjacent chassis member by means of hook bolts 4G, the hooks ot which engage the inner edge oi a flange ot the adjacent chassis, as indicated at 47. The opposite screw-threaded end et each bolt extends through an opening t8 thro-ugh the adjacent end o'l' the bracket and is engaged by a. nut 19 by means ot which the said end is bound against the outer side of a chassis member.

The remaining portions of the structure shown in Figs. G to 9 inclusive, designated i, 5, c, 7, s, 10, n, is, 15, ie, so, si, Q2, 25, 2G. 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 are identical with the parts correspondingly numbered in Figs. 1 to 5 ot the drawings and need not be further described.

It a bumper embodying my invention should receive an impact due to a collision or any other cause the chains would tirst receive the force of the impact and would exert a pull upon the opposite resilient spring members 2 or 2, During the saine period, or sinniltaneously, inward pressure due to the connection between the middle portions ot the chains and the revcrsely curved resilient spring plate 21 would be exerted by the chains upon the said resilient spring member 21. Inward pressure against the central portion of the said spring member would tend to cause the same to straighten, thereby causing its opposite end portions to exert outward pressure against'y the opposite side supporting members 'if or 2u, as the case might be. In the action ot straightening out the slots in the opposite ends of the resilient spring plate member 21 would slide upon the bolts ft). Outward pressure of the opposite end portions of the resilient spring member 2lV against the said resilient spring supporting members 2 or 2L would be resisted by the chains previously referred to.

By the employment or" a bumper embodying` my invention a greater iiexibility and a more desirable cushioning etlect is obtained in case of impact against the bumper than ais is the case ot bumpers of the construction heretofore iny use, as tar as l am aware. n; bumper embodying my invention operates to absorb the shoclr incident to a sudden blow or impact more gradually than vis the case with bumpers of the construction now used or heretofore in use in so tar as l am aware.

l have shown two din'erent methods or means by which the bumpers may be sup'- ported upon either the iront or rear end portion ot an automobile or other vehicle structure and it is to be understood that any other suitable means may be employed Without departing trom my invention. It is also to be understood that other arrangements oi the articulated members consisting ot the chains and the resilient spring plate members may be employed, provided that upon receiving an impact at any point inwardly of the opposite ends ot the resilient spring member 21 the tendency is for the latter to straighten out, such tendency operating to exert outward pressure upon the oppositely disposed supporting members 2 or 2, while movement of the latter outwardly is resisted by the articulated members of the structure.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a bumper, the combination of resilient spring members located at the opposite ends thereoi, a crosswise extending spring plate having` slidable connection at its opposite ends with the said resilient spring members, and articulated members having connection at their outer ends with the said oppositely disposed resilient spring members.

2. In a bumper for automobiles, the combination ot outwardly and laterally extending spring members mounted upon opposite side portions ot the automobile structure, a crosswise extending resilient spring` 1nembei' having slidable connection with the opn positely disposed spring members, and articulated members having connection at their outer ends with the said oppositely disposed spring members and at their middle portions with the said crosswise extending s prin g member.

3. In a bumper 'Lor automobiles, the combination ot oppositely disposed resilient spring supporting members adapted to be supported upon the opposite sides ot an automobile structure, the said members eX- tending outwardly and laterally from their points oi support, a resilient spring member extending between the said oppositely dis posed spring supporting members, the midlle portion of said member being curved outwardly and the rtions thereof adjacent its opposite ends benin) cui-ved inwardly and then outwardly, means for slidably connectng memng supet. In a bumper :tor automobiles, the eombination of oppositely disposed outv and laterally resilient spring supporti members, a crosswise extending reversely curved resilient spring -nember having slidable connection at its outer ends with said spring supporting members, the said spring supporting members being provided with bolts at their outer ends, hooks mounted on said bolts, chains having their outer linlrs in engage nent with said hooks, means iior adjust-ing the lengths oi said chains, and means for connecting the middle portions ot said chains to the said reversely curved resilient spring member, substantially as described.

ln a bumper for automobiles, the combination oppositely disposed outwardly and laterally' extending resilient spring supporting members, a crosswise extending reversely curved resilient spring member, means for slidably connecting the outer ends ot said member to the said spring support ing members, an articulated member having detachable connection with the outer ends out the said spring supporting members, means for adjusting the length of the said articulated member' to place the same together with the spring members under tension, and means tor detachably connecting the central portion of the articulatedY member to the central portion of the said reversely curved spring member.

6. ln a bumper, the combination of oppositely disposed resilient spring supporting.

members extending laterally and outwardly from the opposite sides of one end portion of an automobile structure, a crosswise eirtending curved spring member naving slidabl connection at its opposite ends with the said spring supporting members, bolts mounted upon the outer ends ot said spring members, sleeves provided w'th hooks mounted upon said bolts, chains having their opposite ends in engagement with the said hooks, turnbucltles constitutingtg` the middle portions ot said chains, the said turnbuckles being adapted to be rotated to eliect variation of the lengths of said chains, whereby the said chains and the said spring members may be placed under tension, means for connecting the turnbuclrles of the respective chains together, and means for connecting the last mentioned means to the said crosswise extending spring member.

7. In a bumper for automobiles, the con; bination of brackets supported upon the end portions et the opposite sides olf-an antoine-' bileI structure, a spring bar secured to and supported by the said brackets, the outer end portions of said bar extending laterally and outwardly to lorm resilient spring` supporting means, a curved resilient spring plate located outwardly with respect to the said spring,` bar and having slidable eonnee tion at its opposite ends With the laterally and outwardly extending supporting portions of said bar, articulated members having pivotal Connection at their outer ends with the outer ends ot the said supporting portions, means for adjusting the length ot' the said articulated members, and means tor connecting the said articulated members to the central portion of the' said Curved resilient plate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 15th day of Sept., A. D., 1925.

EDWARD A. LYNCH. 

